


Accepting Fear

by Ingradera



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Abandonment, First Time, Internal Conflict, M/M, Past Lives, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 12:19:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8248660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ingradera/pseuds/Ingradera
Summary: When the youngest guardian admits that Pitch is the only one who can help him, the elder four are first unsure, but to aid Jack they agree to give it a try. Unfortunately, one misunderstanding leads to him being shunned once more, leaving Jack alone just after he has realised his feelings for the shade. Will fate continue to fight them, or will fear be accepted as much as fun?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own the rights to Rise of the Guardians in anyway and make no money from writing this. This disclaimer shall stand for the entire fic.  
> There is also a version of this on my fanfiction profile (under the same name) though that on is a multi-chapter work of fiction, so if you prefer that then feel free to go over there and check it out. It also has the explicit parts removed, so if you wish not to read them, head over there.  
> I hope that you enjoy reading and don’t be shy about sharing any opinions you may have; I love hearing from you.

_It only takes a second for your life to completely change, whether it be for better or worse._ That was all he could think as he slowly clawed through the cloud cloaking his mind so he could return to the world of conciseness. Even if he couldn’t remember falling unconscious.

“Welcome back, Frostbite,” comes a gruff voice from behind him.

Frowning in confusion, ice blue eyes are slowly forced open, only to snap close again. The bright lights from the Pole blind him, making him whimper slightly in frustration.

“Hey it’s okay. Just try again, but slower this time, let your eyes adjust to the light.” A musical tone coos, while a petite hand gently combs through his knotted hair.

He only hesitates for the smallest fraction of a second before he follows the instructions, and only then does he notice the faint echoes of pain that are rippling through his exhausted body. Once he finally gets his eyes fully open and his vision had cleared, he sees how Tooth is hovering over him, not even trying to restrain her worry. What surprises him though is how Bunny holds him so carefully in his arms. His surprise doesn’t last for long though and the second it fades he starts to struggle and squirm in attempt to escape his hold, beating down his embarrassment and fear at being held so protectively.

Slowly he starts to go still as he realises that no matter how hard he fights, he won’t be able to get free; the Pooka’s hold is too strong. Instead he begins a quiet mantra of pleas for release muttered under his breath. The other obviously could hear him, yet his prayers fall on deaf ears as nobody moves to help him. North chooses that moment to stroll in, though he looks slightly less confident than usual, but thankfully after her surveys the scene before him, he instructs Bunny to let Jack down.

Despite what the Guardians may have feared, the young frost spirit did not fly straight out of there at the first opportunity he was given. Instead he backs up to the nearest hard surface and slides down to the ground where he can curl in on himself. His shoulders shake with silent sobs that he can no longer hold back.

“Jack?” Tooth asks as she hovers closer, concern once more raising in her voice. She moves slowly, scared that she will frighten him, though she needn’t have worried as the Guardian of Wonder stops her before she can get too close.

“Give boy space,” booms Santa even as he makes no move to stop Easter’s progress towards the child. Instead he motions for the others to follow him out of the hallway, hoping that the Rabbit will be able to help the hurting teen as they both have a shared experience of not being believed in. From that, Bunny would be the best to help, he just hopes that he could actually do some good. Thankfully though, the other two decide to silently follow him.

“How can you deal with it, mate?” The warrior asks, his voice softens as he replays one of his most painful memories.

“I can’t… It… You can’t…”

The whispered response shocks Aster, because he was expecting the apparently fearful teen to remain silent, but even if he did get a response, he wasn’t expecting that. “Let me help you then, Jackie. You know that I know how it fee-”

“No!” Jack cries as he jumps up and away from the Pooka, blind once more, but this time by fury. “You only got a taste of what it means to not be believed in, that does not give you an idea as to how I feel. You know nothing! Imagine the pain you felt, but having it last for three hundred years! Imagine not being able to remember a time you didn’t feel that. Imagine that every single time you found someone who could actually see you, they hated you, because you were winter; you were death.” He was shaking again. “Then, and only then, can you say that you know how it feels.”

“Jack… I’m so sorry, Snowflake,” The elder mutters almost pitifully, “What can I do? What can _we_ do?”

“Pitch,” He boy whispers to the floor, “He’s the only one who knows what it’s like. He’s the only one who could possibly understand.”

If he had looked up at that moment, he would have seen the unsure, fearful look that flashes across Bunny’s face. When he does raise his big, bright, begging blue eyes to the soft forest green ones, the emotion was long gone.

Bunnymund stares deep into his eyes, not missing the exhaustion and pain hidden deep within, “Come on, kid, you need to sleep.”

With that he picks the child up bridal style once more, as he carries him to a guest bedroom that has been put away especially for him, ignoring the complaints that follow the action. Once he feels that the youngest guardian is properly tucked into, he leaves him to search out North. He hopes that he can find a solution to this problem that will make everyone happy.

* * *

 

Bunny was only just beginning to realise how young Jack was, that he was just a child and as such they should have been there to protect him, instead of ignoring him and brushing him aside. He showed his youth by how he fought against going to sleep like many younger children would. His fear truly showed him how alone and isolated he must have been so that he was too scared to even go to sleep, what had happened when he had slept for him to feel like this. Even as he finally fell asleep his last conscious thought he still managed to show just how innocent he truly was.

“Please don’t leave me…”

To anyone else, the plea may have sounded pitiful at best, but Pooka’s had the best hearing of all recorded species and because of that he was effortlessly able to detect the bone-deep insecurity and the overwhelming need in his voice. It hit him them that those notes had always been in his voice, but he had hidden it beneath layers of snowballs and fun times like an expert. And they had all fallen for it. That had been the most devastating fact of everything they had gone through the last few days.  They had never realised that this innocent child whole-heatedly believed that there was never a point to showing his true fear, or how he was actually feeling. Apparently in his eyes he saw that nobody would even stop for a pleasant hello, never mind a gentle chat that was taken for granted by many. Not that they hadn’t added to that expectation by always ignoring him and brushing him off.

Thinking about it clearly now with foresight, the blizzard of ’68 could have easily been the adolescent’s suffocating need for attention bursting forth. Although considering the pain which must have been flush in his veins over the centuries of neglect, it could have been an attempt to end it. That’s what some people tended to do when they had nothing to live for, right? He knew he was tempted after losing his family, so maybe that was just him.

It was with regret that he hopped out of the room once he was sure the boy had actually fallen asleep.

Thoughts and theories were hopping laps around his brain, distracting him from where his overly large paws were leading him as he crossed the varnished wood which decked the corridors. Regardless of how long he’d been a Guardian, he would never get use to the difference of manmade flooring compared to the feeling of soft dirt and ticklish grass that was so familiar to his feet.

Without fully understanding where he was heading as he just trusted his intuition, as his mind took him to the one place that needed to be before he did anything else: North’s office.

For a moment he pondered if he should knock or not, because it was the polite thing to do, but after considering it for just a second, he decided that he wouldn’t break a habit that had only grown as years went on. Before he knew what he was doing once more, he had barged his way into the carved workplace, sending a miniscule elf flying upon entry, but he was still far too out of it to notice the action, trapped as he was in his endless labyrinth of conflicting thoughts.

“Bunny!”

Finally, his attention snapped back at the cry. Bunnymund looked with confused eyes up at his friend; finally returning to the reality that he knew so well.

“Sorry… What did you say?”

“I ask,” North responded, talking slowly so that his fellow Guardian could easily follow alone, while masking his concern so not to wound the warrior’s pride as he had many time before through his worry. “What brought you here?”

“It’s Jack.” He paused for a moment, unsure of how to express how worried he was about the young spirit, without causing excess worry for the Cossack. Neither of them had been overly excited about meeting their new companion, though the jolly fat man had a higher expectation of the boy and what he could be to the children. It was only when an overly large hand waved in front of his face that he decided that it would be best to keep things blunt. “He doesn’t trust us, North.”

“What do you mean? Boy trusts us! We showed we believe and need him; he knows we regret what happened.”

Bunny scoffed and he hopped over to where North was sitting at his desk, so he could sit across from him. “That’s just the thing though. He is just a kid: a kid who had had no positive contact with anyone for at least 300 years! Don’t tell me that that doesn’t remind you of anybody.” He snaps, anger rising in his tone.

“Pitch,” North mumbles in a subdued voice as he thought about their isolated enemy, but he was still confused by both his friend’s words and unusual behaviour.

“Exactly! That’s my he wants him here, because he’s probably the only one that understands him. Jack probably would have sided with him in the fight if not for that fact he was so scared of having people fear him even more than they already do. He just wanted to be believed in and not feared, and if not for that fact, Pitch probably could have given him what he needed.”

As North listened, he could see the guilt that settled within the deep green eyes and took the chance to ask what was puzzling him the most, “What changed your mind about the boy?”

Initially, the kangaroo didn’t know how to answer him as his overbearing emotions were too much for him to even understand at that point. After a moment of contemplation, he finally had his answer. “I told him that I knew what he felt, and that I understood his pain.”

“Ja, you do!”

Floppy ears flapped against his head as he shook his head, “No, my friend, I don’t and that’s what I didn’t realise. I still had you, Tooth and Sandy by my side throughout that time, however short it may have been. He has never had anyone and now he’s suddenly been thrust into the limelight. That’s sure to mess with somebody’s head.”

Silence took that as it’s time to descend, fighting North as he tried to deny the idea; to stop what was sure to happen, but they were all rebuked in stillness’ special little way. Finally, he submitted under its obvious superiority.

“What need be done?”

* * *

 

Morning rays shone brightly through the ice blue curtains, dancing across the pale face of the boy who slept peacefully below them. That day, it decided in its usual optimistic fashion, would be a good day for nobody to be left alone in the dark.

Seconds hadn’t even past since that verdict was given, and yet the dark was already clawing at a poor boy as their scream pierced the previously tranquil lull that had resided within the majestic palace. Rushed footsteps echoed through the now silent halls; weak moonbeams wavered at the threshold, trapped from truly entering into the room by sheets of glass. Bulky wooden doors exploded open, welcoming the invaders into the sparsely decorated room.

The ancient Pooka wasted no time in rushing over to the restless child to comfort him while trying to gently rouse him from his slumber. A slender figure lingered by the door, accompanied by a much larger on, who was fearlessly holding a sword at the throat of the slim visitor Bunny had somehow missed as he was storming in.

“Welcome back, Frostbite,” Bunnymund greeted the child, echoing his previous words. Relief was more that obvious on his face as he stared down at the terrified teen.

“What you do?” North interdigitated the shade trapped in his grasp, danger dancing in his tone while his blade bit into the grey neck.

Velvet laughter filled the room, drowning out the near silent whimpers originating from the corner. “Do you honest think that much of me? I don’t have the power to alarm an infant, never mind terrorizing one of the moon’s all-powerful Guardians!” He finished with a bitter laugh which reminded the Guardians of their youngest member so much that their hearts almost ached for their enemy.

“Pitch?”

The soft whisper emanated from where the whimpers had originally laid, as bright blue eyes sparkled with recognition. Trust jumped and rolled around within him, begging to be seen and acknowledged.

“Well done,” the shade commented, his manner dry.

Gangly limbs flew everywhere, Jack scrambled out of bed, fear far forgotten and Easter ignored as he rushed towards the lanky man, only stopping when he was directly before him. “I can remember you…” Slowly he raised a pale hand so that it hovered above the sharp cheekbones, but his courage was quickly gathered and as it was the palm was pressed against warm skin.  “We’re not the same temperature anymore…” A hint of sadness slithered into his words, until it was –as was quickly becoming expected- locked behind his happy façade.

Recognition and pain flickered across Pitch’s face, though it was buried far beneath his fear that he could be wrong, and hope that he would be right. Though for those precious few moments of optimism he forgot that the one being who could sense his hope was stood just across the room from him.

“What you mean, Jack? North question, feeling lost.

“Three hundred years and you don’t seem to have changed at all. Except from your eyes. They look so dark. What happened?” As he spoke, his second hand rose up to cup the shades other cheek like he was trapping him from running away, like he was fighting to keep him close.

If the other onlookers were not already perplexed at the beginning of their interactions, they certainly were at that point. However, they were ignored and the pair stared deep into each other’s eyes, cataloguing the changers and memorising them once more.

“I lost somebody who I cared deeply for,” Pitch told him with his face turned down; missing the jealousy and hurt that swam across the immortal teen’s face.

Only at that point did the others realise that they were witnessing a private conversation. As such, North backed away so that he was stood next to Bunny, a position where he could watch the proceedings without manipulating them.

“Well I hope you find them again,” Jack said, his hands dropping as he struggled to mask the grief he felt behind a layer of joy.

A soft smile –alien to the two intruders- spread across the grey skin as he lent down so he was eye level with the small teen, “I apparently have, but he had only just remembered who I was to him.”

Confusion slowly slid aside to welcome realisation upon deducing that he must be the one that Pitch was talking about, that he was the one he cared deeply for. Pride blossomed within his chest as he slowly rose up onto his tiptoes, his lips hesitantly brushing against the elders as he fought to contain himself do he didn’t come across as too eager. However, it seemed irrelevant whether he did or didn’t, because after he had been granted the slightest taste after many centuries, Pitch was the one who couldn’t hold himself back. After the small innocent kiss was coming to an end, and the teen was moving away, Pitch leaned in to capture those pale lips in a heated kiss, which he filled with his passion and heartache.

Time melted into insignificance as they stood within the embrace of each other’s arms, forgetting the past in favour of creating new memories together. They carried on like that before Jack cautiously pulled away, examining his love.

“Why did you attack me –us- when you knew who I was?” Jack asked, hurt slipping into his voice.

Equal measures of displeasure and pain entered the nightmare king’s voice as he gazed down at the younger individual. “I’m sorry,” he muttered mournfully, “I believed that it was my imagination playing tricks on me. Never would I have thought it possible that Manny would return you to me; never did I dare to hope. Now I just fear I will lose you again.”

“Never!” Jack assured with so much conviction that even North and Bunny found themselves agreeing alongside him.

Lips collided once more as they both briefly fought for dominance, until Jack surrender and submitted to the others powerful onslaught. If they had been given the choice, they would have continued in that fashion until the world died around them, turning to ashes at the feet. Unfortunately, an anxious Tooth choose that moment to burst through the aged doors with Sandy hot on her heals, thus forcing the couple apart. Upon taking in the scene she immediately interrupted with her own opinions which were unexpectedly hurtful and put everyone on guard.

Jagged words flew around him, cutting him deep enough to draw blood from his frozen veins and screamed syllables sliced his porcelain skin. Each word and every simple letter left him clinging to the formerly imposing shadows as though the once suffocating darkness could breathe a new breath of life into his long frozen corpse.

Why were they so angry?

What was the cause of it?

What hidden line had he unknowingly crossed this time?

Long unseen tears ran amok down his frosted cheeks, which were overlooked by those who he thought that cared him about the most. That only made them run faster and heaver. Despite the fact that they felt the need to protect and comfort him in the only ways they knew, they had nothing to say in his defence.

Sandy glanced towards the darkened corner, his curiosity growing at what stood between his old friend and his new one and how it was that his friend turned enemy seemed to know the child better than they did. Fighting to grab the attention of the jolly giant as he argued away, to do so he raised a petite golden hand to pull on his heavy clothing.

“Not now, Sandman!”

As he brushed his friend off, much like many had the tendency to do so, frustrated streams of sand shot from his ears. Realising that nothing would come from his endeavours, he retreated to stand near their youngest member, where he could watch and comfort at the same time.

Only moments after he had stilled beside the teen, did all eyes fall upon the distressed teen as a response to the shout: “Let’s see if Jack agrees with that, shall we?”

The already small child shrunk with a sob into the shade’s protective embrace while the nightmare king’s piecing gaze sliced deeper in response to the fear flowing from the frost spirit. More than anything he wanted to stand up for the one he had once loved and lost, yet even when he couldn’t remember him for an impossibly long period of time, a part of him still love him. His heart was currently singing at the fact that he had miraculously gotten him back.

Despite the fact that he wished to speak up in his defence, fear paralysed his vocal cords and tears streamed down his face, chocking him. His reluctance to speak displeased those who he could one day possibly be called friends –if they accepted him.

“Jack?” The Tooth Fairy asked while hovering closer to him, her resolve wavering at the youth’s obvious confusion and fear.

Clear crystals moved over to his lost lover, as though searching him for the answers to all his questions.

“Don’t Jackson- Jack.” The shade scolded benevolently, manoeuvring the smaller form in his arms, so he could look him in the eyes and whip away the tears. He was scared that if he let go of him then he would vanish from his life once more. “You’ve done nothing wrong, so don’t you dare think that way. It’s physically impossible for you to do any wrong, no matter how much and how often you convince yourself otherwise.”

An unsecure, shaky smile formed across frozen lips before said lips followed an intangible path to those of the nightmare’s, kissing his gently once more, the unwavering love that had only grown through his unknown heartache were painfully apparent in that one simple action.

“Jackson?” Eyes snapped to the fluttering fairy once more, “Why did he call you Jackson?” She questioned, blatantly ignoring the dark being.

“Because it’s my name.” At her blank look, he elaborated, “Back before I was Jack Frost, that was my name. Jackson Overland. Abet I was only ever called Jackson when I was in trouble, but regardless of that he would always refuse to call me anything else.” His wide, hopeful, loving eyes turned once more towards the enemy once more as his usual smirk took root on his face, which helped to relax the other three guardians. “Though it seems as though he has finally stopped that.”

“So he was terrorizing you even back then?”

Confusion flew across the spirit’s face as the full degree of the hatred she held for Pitch was finally made visible for all. “No!” He denied loudly, making some of the other jump. “He saved me. He showed me that fear is needed, it helps children to grow while keeping them out of harm’s way. I really needed that at the time I met him, otherwise things would be a whole lot different now. Fear is needed and that is how it should be welded: to help and not harm. Yeah, it did take him a long time to realise his calling, but wouldn’t you find it hard when your only companions are the voices of the nightmares that were screaming for revenge and were corrupting you?” He cast his now determined eyes around his amazed spectators, as he had captured their attention completely. “Regardless of that, he still found his place, his centre. Like we all did. Even if it all be crushed him when I-”

The words fell away lost in a choke as he appeared to be crawling inside himself, hiding away from the hardships that were his life. Pitch stood in front of him, attempting to completely encase the teen in his arms, protecting him and reassuring him as much as possible in the same action, his heart breaking for him.

“What happened?” The rough, yet curious Russian voice asked, sounding more reserved than anyone had heard in many long years.

Twisting them around so that he was hidden by Pitch as the biting stares trained on his back because too much for him to bare, he gradually found refuge in the comforting arms that were whispered impossible claims of what laid before him. His crystal eyes turned up to face the imposing figure, pleading with him to take the question out of his hands. A second passed before Pitch turned once more so his golden eyes could fearlessly rise to the challenge.

“When he died.” He finished bluntly; the silence only broken by a single soft whimper. “I lost him. I lost everything… When I saw him like he is now,” Tenderly he coaxed Jack into standing by his side, so he could comb though feather light locks in an absentminded manner. “Somehow I didn’t recognise him and ironically when I did I was afraid. I was so afraid of allowing myself to hope. I couldn’t believe that Manny would be so cruel to bring him back without him knowing who I was. Because of that I persuaded myself that it couldn’t be him to save myself the pain. Now I can’t believe how lucky I am that he’s back and that he actually remembers me.” He finished with a tenderness that none but Jack had seen before.

“He hasn’t mentioned you before,” Tooth responded harshly.

“I only remembered him last night –it came back to me in my dreams. Yeah, I opened my memory box at Easter, but it seems that by doing that it only opened a door for my memories and the rest have been falling through since then”

“And now you’re what? Dating?”

“We already were.”

“We just took an unplanned three hundred year break.”

“And now the blokes are finishing each other’s sentences.”

“Put a sock in it, Kangaroo!”

The thinnest slither of laughter echoed around the enclosed room, vanquishing the tension for just the slightest moment. At least until Tooth began to talk once more. “He was the reason you fainted though!”

“What?!” The outraged exclamation shattered the room as he held his younger lover at arm’s length in front of him, raking his eyes across the lithe form, searching desperately for any imperfections or any abnormality on his well-covered form. “What happened?”

Love shone deeply in the icy orbs as a single hand raised to adoringly stroke the grey skin. “It’s not your fault, I promise. It was mine. I should have slept properly, just I was neglecting it again, you remember how I used to do that? My body was just trying to fix that.”

Nobody would have expected the hostility that quickly met the perfectly acceptable, innocent answer. “And I wonder just who it was that made it impossible for you to sleep.”

“Tooth, stop!” Winter incarnate commanded, his voice strong as he turned to face the bitter Guardian. His emotions were sending out a rush of bitter cold to accompany his angered cry, causing the occupants of the room to step back out of shock.

Surprise and self-hatred fluttered across his face at the chaos and fear caused by his own lifeless hands. Hushed apologies sung their pleas through iced lips, resonating long after the fearful teen fled from the frozen room.

* * *

 

Pain.

It comes in so many different forms, each one only more deadly that the last until it has destroyed everything in its path. It is unique and beautiful in its own way as it expertly wraps everything around its finger, making them dance to its own intricately crafted melody. Soft, yet brutal notes held the ability to harm everyone and everything in such distinctive way. Unrepeatable patterns we left dormant in the victims’ heart ad long as they lived. That was one of the more fascination aspects of pain.

Then there was always the probability that it would return.

Though this pain was distinctively different from anything he had ever experienced.

He was used to the pain that was forever lurking unseen below the surface, but that was a pain that only reared its disfigured head whenever another being passed through him, or as he was seen as a forgotten myth. That pain was normal; it was the first to appear whenever he was caused to question his own existence alongside the unknown faces that would constantly questioning why he was still alive. They would question why he kept ruining everything, for ruining what everyone worked so hard to create, while he did nothing of use. That was the pain he was used to as it was his companion during almost every day of his life.

However, his current ache was alien to him in so many ways. Swelling disappointment bubbles within him, clouding his vision even before the tears which fell without his consent. He didn’t want this to happen. It was never mean to happen. How could he have made things as bad as they were? It was selfish of him. It was irresponsible. Pathetic. He had never planned to disappoint the guardians like he had, and he never knew it would hurt him so much. He was used to people expecting nothing from him, but proving that he wasn’t worth a person’s time or effort to people who had seemed to genially care, well that was an entirely different kind of hurt.

Regardless of how much he had wrecked it all and how much of a mistake it had all been, it was still his doing and he should have been there to deal with the consequences, and yet he had run from it all. Like he always did. It had been his choice and yet he still constantly made the wrong one.

Honestly he hadn’t meant to pull apart the carefully worked for family that the guardians had crafted even as they were forced into a working relationship by the omniscient Man in the Moon. He knew that they cared for him in some regard, but obviously they relationship wasn’t as strong as he thought it was since he was so quickly pulled away by a nightmare brought about by repressed memories desperate to make themselves known. He hadn’t even had to try to destroy what could have one day become his family. It had all happened without his help. If he was to royally fuck up everything to the best of his ability, then that would have happened on one of his bad days when they crushing abandonment hit him with more strength than it normally held.

Through his inner rage and rant at the world, he slowly began to recognise where it was that his subconscious mind had taken him. Gradually his descended to the grounds where he did a quick jog across the frosted streets near the border at the ends of Burgess. Yet he wasn’t quite aware enough to tell which exact street it was that he had landed on, despite the fact he knew the town better than anything else in his life. Unfortunately, this time that he walked down the street, he was far too out of it to notice that he had stopped right in the path of an unsuspecting, unseeing mortal.

“JACK!”

Crystallised eyes snapped back to reality as the immortalised teen swung around to face the grey skinned shade. Their eyes locked for a second and in that moment Jack could see the ironic fear that was being reflected back at him. Even though that time was short, it almost seemed to slow around him, distracting him from the very reason that had lead Pitch to shout out his name. Realising that he may have been in danger he quickly glanced around him, but he only noticed that somebody was walking towards him when they passed through him. Slicing pain cut through him, its icy touch clawing and freezing his frozen heart. Its fingers dug deeper than he could ever imagine, returning him to the vulnerable spirit that had been left to wander alone for three hundred years.

Choking back a sob, his knees buckled beneath him and dragging him unceremoniously to the ground, or at least that was where he was heading. Before he could hit the pavement, strong arms came up from nowhere, wrapping his shaking form into his tight embrace.  Tears fell in a rush down the alabaster cheeks, their silent journey shattered by the sobs that echoed through the now empty streets. Sound swam through him, though it refused to come together to craft the words which he needed to so desperately hear. Loneliness crushed his very soul as he realised that no matter what changed, he would always be invisible.

From that his mind did what it usually did. It took one moment and twisted it into an unrecognisable shape that would cause the most pain. That way one event lasting no more than a mere second could destroy the young teen’s psych. Not to say that it took much to do so after the excruciating three hundred years he had been left alone and abandoned. His abandonment would never end, regardless of how many children say him, human life was so vulnerable and changeable, they would soon either die or forget about him. Then he would be right back where he started. It would only take a second.

He would never even know when it would happen. Most likely he would go to play with the group one day, happy that the child eternally trapped within him had the rare chance to rear its head in play, only to realise that they had all grown past the age of it being acceptable to believe in the legends that protected them. Grown out of believing in him.

Only the Guardians would remain. Though the realistic side of him suspected that they wouldn’t hang around for much longer. They had only known him for a handful of days, and in that time he had already made their lives so much harder than they needed to be and they had rightly shown their disdain for having him hovering around like a bad smell. He didn’t belong there. And he never would. They were a family; one he couldn’t even think about breaking apart. He didn’t belong there. He knew that if he was to stay for much longer then he could bring it all falling down around them as their hard-worked-for and carefully constructed bonds broke due to his actions. Yet he dared to hope it wouldn’t happen soon. That way he may have a chance to experience what it was like to have friends, or at the very least somebody to talk to…

Not that it was even worth trying. Already he had successfully messed everything up for them. They wouldn’t possibly want anything to do with him now.

He was nothing if not pathetic. A quivering mess sobbing into his lost lover and past enemy’s chest.

The golden eyes that started down at his trembling form would have disagreed with him. Worry was flooding his veins against his command as he held him even tighter in his grasp in hope that it would prove to him that he wasn’t alone anymore. Not even when his daughter was still young and depended on him, he had never had reason to be in his current position. Back then it had been so easy for him to fight away any and all demons that plagued her either day or night.

That would do nothing to help him now though. Jack’s demons were not the ones that were poorly crafted from the darkness that enveloped them all. They had grown and flourished inside his very soul. They had been there even before his death, only they were weaker then and easier to contain. Yet losing everything caused them to grow until they were uncontainable.

For a brief moment the boy fell slack in his arms. Apparently his outburst had been flushed out of his system, leaving his mind clear and his soul exhausted. As another second passed, it seemed that that wasn’t quite the plan.

The white haired teen began to thrash in his arms as though he was desperate to escape from some unseen force of evil.

“Jack! Jack, calm down. It’s okay, I’ve got you. Nobody is going to hurt you, I swear to you, I won’t allow them. You’re safe. You’re loved. It’s okay. They can’t get to you, you’re safe with me. I’ll protect you. I promise.” Pitch recited the mantra he had learn by heart many centuries ago when he had first bumped into the younger male.

However, this time his words weren’t working as they should. Though that had to be expected to some degree. They had been apart for far too long and so much had happened to them both within that time. No longer were they the people they once more. Now they both had many more demons. So more had happened to damage the boy even more than he had been when they first met.

Pitch felt like a fish out of water in every way possible.

Since his entire attention was diverted towards his younger lover, he was slow to realised that the four Guardians were approaching them with a united face of anger.

“What have you done to him?!” Screamed the angry Australian, jolting Pitch’s attention up to their audience.

Thankfully the exclamation was able to shock the frost spirit right out of his suffocating panic; yet his fear remained in his eyes. Slowly –much slower than Pitch would have believed possible from the usually hyperactive, immortal teen- he turned within the shade’s arms to face his questionable friends. Once he notices the dark, irate expressions shining in all the faces that encircled them, he cringed back into the hard chest behind him, still feeling too vulnerable and open to erect his usual barriers.

“What have you done to the kit?” Bunny growled again, apparently acting as the appointed spokesperson during the… confrontation? Pitch thought that could be accurate, though encounter would be a politer way to put it.

Feeling uncomfortable with all the negative emotions being directed straight at him, the Nightmare King tried to slowly back away, but Jack refused to move with him, forcing him to remain where he was. Though it appeared as though the spirit wasn’t truly allowed a choice in the matter as a sandy strand snaked its way towards the one that they saw as the victim of the whole affair. With one rough tug the tendril tensed around the narrow waist and pulled the boy towards the group. They had decided unanimously not long before that no matter the situation, they would defend, protect and stand by the child regardless of what life may throw his way. He was a child after all. It was their job to protect _all_ children.

Once he was safe and secure behind a wall of supposed allies, the Guardians relaxed but just the smallest margin.

“Leave here!” North instructed the now isolated male, his voice booming, yet it was no more than a whisper to the young teen’s ears as his mind slowly shut itself down to defend himself from the overwhelming thoughts that were just waiting for the right moment to swamp him.

Golden eyes showed the plea that he refused to allow entry into his voice, “Jack?”

Unfortunately, the frost spirit remained ignorant to what surrounded him, as pain still shone in his pale irises. His mind was trying so desperately to wrap his mind around the thought that though he now had believers and people who would call themselves his friend, they weren’t willing to accept all of him and what he wanted.

“I think you’ve got your answer, mate. He doesn’t want anything to do with you, regardless of your past.” Bunny nearly spat.

It was with a worried look and a heavy heart that Pitch dissolved into the predawn shade, giving his half enemies the space and the peace they needed.

Not a second had passed since the nightmare king had vanished from sight, the guardians carefully began to manoeuver the child they had become to see as their own. He was almost limp in their arms as the moved him into the sledge to take him home.

Other than the rush of wind and the occasional noises from the reindeers, it was silent in the sleigh as the elders couldn’t help but sneaking covert glances at their youngest member. It worried them that he appeared to not notice them as he was too far entrapped within his own thoughts of hate and loss. Jack was completely unable to fathom how it was that those who were slowly becoming like a family to him could turn against the only person who had his best interests at heart. How could they send him away so easily without even waiting to hear the full story?

If anything, that hurt him more than anything else in his life. The betrayal.

They didn’t understand him or his past, no matter how much the claimed otherwise. Though they had been around much longer than him and thus should hold a wider variety of knowledge that what Jack did. Yet there was one thing he was certain of that the others seemed to be overlooking and so he spoke it, shocking the guardians who didn’t see it coming, “Fear is needed.”

The way he said it should have left no room for arguments as he words sung with certainty of which he drew from past experiences. That didn’t stop them from challenging him as they thought they knew better.

“Frostbite, Pitch gives children nightmares,” Bunny told him, speaking down to him as though he was nothing more than a naïve child, “he works to unravel all the work that we do.”

“No!” Ice spread threateningly from his feet and across the sleigh as snow battered them in the air, making it dangerous to fly, “Can you even imagine a world without fear?”

Tooth fluttered nervously towards him as the wind seemed to be forcing her away, “That’s what we _are_ doing, sweet tooth,” she told him soothingly, “It would create a world where children would have nothing to be afraid of. Nothing would be able to hurt them in the way that fear does. They would be free to have fun, Jack, fun!”

Every instinct screamed for him to back away from the approaching fairy, but something even stronger forced him to step even closer to her, “Fear, that’s what keeps them safe.” Though he had wanted to pause to let it sink in, it looked instead that they were going to speak over him without listening to him. So instead he continued before they had the chance to interrupt him. “If they are not afraid then they would be forever running headfirst into danger at every turn without a single thought as to how it could harm them or those around them.” He paused to try and calm his erratic breathing as memories flooded his mind. During his mortal life he had made so many mistakes that threatened them around him before he learnt that lesson, and then again as he relearnt it in his immortal life. Thankfully, he had somehow found the magical words that made the guardians listen to him. They recoiled for just a second at his words, but when they didn’t find the fear that they were expecting to feel, their chose instead to keep pushing on.

“He brings pain and fear, not safety!” Tooth demanded as she willed him to understand, hatred bubbled up just below the surface as she remember how he stole her fairies and she imagined the nightmares he brought to billions of children.

She told him the truth she believed, told him of the nightmares that the children suffered and in return Jack stood firm as she told him that regardless of them, they were the safest that they had ever been. That fear kept them inside and far away from anything that could cause them any harm. “At the end of the day,” he muttered darkly, “Fun is more dangerous than fear.”

With that he jumped to his feet before any of them could react and jumped from the sleigh for the wind to catch him, ignoring the confusion and hatred that he left in his wake.

* * *

 

Eyes widened as the intruding silhouette entered the carved room as though he owned the place. He would never forget that outline; he had ensured it was scorched into his brain.

“What are you doing here?” Pitch snapped as he rose slightly from his chair before stiffly moving towards the younger spirit.

Knowing without a doubt that the shade wouldn’t hurt him, Jack walked calmly towards him, rolling his eyes as he did so, “Where else would I possible be?” He laughed as he comfortable fitted himself into his lovers’ arms.

As he was cuddling close to him, he felt the exact moment where the nightmare king allowed himself to relax around him, “I thought that they would never let you go. That or you wouldn’t want to leave them.”

He didn’t have to elaborate on who ‘they’ were; it was obvious to both of them that he was talking about the Guardians. They were talking about the ones that Jack had wholeheartedly believed would understand where he was coming from.

“They did try to keep me from leaving, they didn’t understand. They wouldn’t listen to anything I had to say.” He leaded back slightly as the arms tightened around him just for him to see how one dark eyebrow curved upwards in question. “I tried so hard to make them understand how necessary fear truly is if you want people to stay safe.”

His face vanished as he burrowed it into the other immortal’s chest, embarrassed and downtrodden by the fact that he had failed once more when it come to the people he cared about. However, he wasn’t given enough time for those thought to properly spread their icy hold within his mind as warm lips crushed his own.

At first his eyes snapped open, shocked at the spontaneous and unexpected action, because though they had kissed before it had never held so much heat and emotion. It wasn’t until he realised the strength of his own emotions that he melted into strong arms, allowing his eyes to flutter shut. He freely gave over all control to his short-lived enemy and long-time friend, trusting him in a way he had almost forgotten. A new, strange yet not bad feeling began to pool in the teen’s gut as Pitch’s tongue brushed against his lips pleading for attention and entrance.

In a rush of love and lust Jack is quick to respond enthusiastically to his advances, pushing him back demandingly until he hits the nightmare king’s throne, where he stumbles awkwardly onto his lap when the shade quickly sits.

“Jack…” Pitch started, his voice breathily.

Knowing where he would go with the thought, the youngest guardian interrupted him, “I want you.”

Time seemed to pause around them and the surprise was almost tangible in the air, but it’s not long before they were back to kissing as though nothing had interrupted them. The only difference was that their hands became more adventurous as they explored every inch of the other’s body, memorising everything they could touch. It didn’t take them long to start peeling off each other’s clothes, where they fell in a crumpled heap on the floor around them.

Pitch paused for a second and final time to check if the boy truly wanted what he said he did and to check if he himself was willing to give it. No hesitation or uncertainty was seen and so he plunged straight in.

This time as he kissed him, it held so much more heat pulling Jack closer to him while twisting so that he was straddling his legs. Long fingers shifted so that they were pressing into cold flesh under the blue hoodie hoping the pull his found lover even closer to him. Feeling the skin on his own, Jack gasped and fought to be freed for just long enough for him to pull off the garment so he was sat on the shade in nothing but his tented trousers.

Pitch pulled him in for a biting kiss, he realised the teen to the shadows which were quick in grabbing him so that they could also experience him. As the tendrils of darkness wound their way around the spirit he thankfully gave himself fully to the pleasure, thus giving Pitch the time he needed to remove his own clothing. Once he was stood bare before Jack, he moved forward, eyes on the speechless teen so that he could remove the old trousers from his worryingly slender form.

The shadows shifted so that Jack was comfortable reclined backwards where his legs were spread to welcome the nightmare king between them. He ran his hands over those long legs before manipulating the shadows so that winter incarnate was lounging in the throne where he rightly belonged. One hand lost itself in the tangles of white hair as he pulled Jack in for a kiss while the other mapped out his chest where it zeroed in on the small stubs of his nipples which drew delightful noises from him.

Smiling he sifted so that their cocks were aligned, making Jack gasp lightly, his head falling back for him to moan long and low as Pitch began to move against him. It was so tempting for him to instruct his shadows to open up the teen, but he worried that such an action would scare him away. So instead he removed his hand from his hair and moved it down so that he could circle his entrance, hesitant to enter as he didn’t have the proper supplies at hand and wanted his lovers first time to be nothing less that overwhelming pleasure.

Settled on that thought, he chooses instead to just tease his hole and nipples while thrusting up against him. Due to absence and inexperience it didn’t take too long for them to both finish and as they groaned together they came, creating a mess of their stomachs as Pitch collapsed against him, spreading the mess. Looking down they both laughed tiredly and only because they couldn’t think to move, Jack froze it so that it flaked off as Pitch moved them so that the teen was once more seated in his lap.

Unfortunately, they were only allowed a few blissful moments together to bask in their mutual satisfaction before the formidable guardians burst into the nightmare king’s lair. The two outcasts were found curled around each other as they came down from their mutual high of pleasure while shadows protectively hugged their bodies.

Because of his tired and happy state, it took him an embarrassingly long amount of time for Jack to take in their threatening forms and his naked body. If he was still alive, blood would have rushed to his face, painting it a rather telling crimson. Instead ice had that job as it stained his cheeks a pale blue. Before he really had a chance to reach for his clothes or think of another way to protect his modesty, Pitch was already pulling him closer allowing the shadows to curl closer around him, covering all that was bare.

“I do hope that you have a good reason for being here without consent.” The shade said in a tone that Jack wished he would never have to hear again. It spoke of darkness, hurt and hatred.

The Pooka was quick to growl and raise him boomerangs as he stepped forward, “We’re here to rescue the kid from you. Again.”

A small slither of hope had been slowly growing inside Jack’s lanky form that he could bring his lover and new friends together. Now thought that home withered away inside him as he saw that that would be an almost impossibly option now.

Across the room Bunny flinched back as he felt the hope die and doubt flitted through his eyes as he focused properly on the winter spirit. This was unnoticed though as was how both Aster and North went to talk as Jack rushed ahead to speak confidently to Pitch, “Bring fear back,” he demanded, “Maybe then they will finally understand the necessity of it. They refused to before, but maybe they will now.”

Neither of the lover noticed how their guests halted their conversations in favour of watching their interactions. They also failed to notice how they began to inch the slightest bit closer part in threat, part in curiosity as the shade closed his eyes so that he could focus fully on sending his nightmares out as far as he could reach.

Even if the older guardians weren’t keeping their sense open they were still able to feel as balance returned to the world, a balance that they didn’t even realise was knocked off course. It only then dawned on them that that must have been how he had known that something was wrong. He was a winter spirit and so he would make sense that he would be able to sense the Earth’s balance so much clearer than they would ever be able to. They should have listened to him from the start, but instead they had been so quick to accuse.

Fear once more flooded through the teen with it’s true power as the nightmare king collapsed where he sat, too exhausted to keep himself upright. “Do you now see why fear is so important?” He asked the intruders while his eyes stayed fixed on his partner.

He couldn’t begin to think of what he was meant to do. If they were to attach Pitch, he wouldn’t be able to protect him completely while he was in this state. For once he wasn’t afraid to admit how terrified he truly was.

Luckily though he had nothing to fear as though North slowly made him way towards them, he took every effort to appear as unthreatening as he could. In any other situation it would almost be funny. “Come here, Jack. Ve Vill help him. You vere right and ve will listen if you still care to further enlighten us.”

Shocked icy pools snapped up to the man who one day could become an almost father-like figure to him and a tentative smile crossed his face as he allowed North to take Pitch to make sure that he was okay even as it went against his ever instinct. It was then that he once again realised their nakedness and as such an icy blush spread across his cheeks as he quickly fumbled around to collect and put on his clothing. What he didn’t forget though was his partner’s nudity as he –with North’s reluctant help- wrapped him up in his long coat, promising silently to dress him properly once he had the chance.

As he passed Bunny, the Pooka laid a hand on the teen’s shoulder, stopping him for just a moment. “I may not trust the bugger, especially after what he did to my people, there is a very long way to go until that can even be a possibility. But you obviously trust him, so for right now that’s enough for me, mate. But if he ever does anything to hurt you, or make you unhappy in anyway, tell me and I’ll be right there to help you as much as you want me to. Got it, Snowflake?”

Jack ginned up at him, “Got it, Cottontail.”

**Author's Note:**

> There you have it. I hope you have all enjoyed this and thank you for reading, feel free to point out any mistakes I have overlooked.


End file.
